The tensions had been taken into account at the Nazarene. Few, however, imagined that they would explode on the electoral logo of the Democratic Party, on the day in which the secretary announces her candidacy for the Center and the Islands. The case arose during the secretariat meeting before the management. According to various party sources, the issues to be resolved concern the placement of some exponents of the Bonaccini area, such as Lello Topo and Pina Picierno. But also the positioning of the Democratic president as leader.
In the negotiations between the secretary’s inner circle and the Bonaccini area, the idea of inserting Schlein’s name in the electoral symbol arises: a way, it is explained, to broaden the consensus of the Democratic Party and ‘armor the secretary’. The dem executive approves, although some members of the majority such as Marco Sarracino and Peppe Provenzano do not fail to raise more than a few doubts. Shortly thereafter, Schlein appears at the board of directors to announce his candidacy.
“I am also available to run and lend a hand in these lists, for a street-to-street campaign, trying to give a boost to this team.” He applauds the management. The presentation of the lists by Igor Taruffi follows: Pina Picierno is third in the South, after Lucia Annunziata and Antonio Decaro, but before Jasmine Cristallo, animator of the first hour of the Sardine movement and close to the secretary. Lello Topo, champion of preferences in Campania, is present, but very low. Bonaccini, as announced, is first in the North East, and ‘leaves’ the strong name of the Schlein secretariat, Alessandro Zan. Stefano Bonaccini brought the proposal to the management.
A fulfillment, explain sources close to the president of Emilia-Romagna, who is entitled to the role of president of the Democratic Party. However, a portion of the minority dem turns up its nose and reads Bonaccini’s statement as proof of excessive closeness to the secretary and the majority that supports her. The reaction is immediate. Those against the idea, it emerges from the debate, fear one in particular excessive personalization of the party and the election campaign. Furthermore, what is not convincing is the timing of the proposal: the discussion, underlined for example by Giuseppe Provenzano, should not have been opened today, but after the European elections and included in a broader work on the organization of the party and its model. A model which, for those who oppose the inclusion of Schlein’s name in the symbol, cannot be the leadership model seen in other parties.
“Elly, you are not Giorgia Meloni, Matteo Salvini, you are not Tajani, you are not Renzi, Calenda. You are better than them and you come from a different culture”, underlined Gianni Cuperlo. Schlein’s leadership, for Cuperlo, “is more authoritative and strong without necessarily that choice.” Alfredo D’Attorre, head of University and Research of the Democratic Party and exponent of the former Article 1 area, rejects the idea of a leadership party, but is open to the hypothesis of Schlein’s name in the symbol: “I am against in principle a leadership choice. But in this passage, inserting Schlein’s name in the symbol can serve to respond to that need for openness and change which in this year we have not always been able to fully respond to. Not a party model, but a tool for raise compared to that constituent phase that we promised during the congress”. A choice that would move in the direction to combat abstentionism indicated as a priority by Schlein in the report that preceded the presentation of the lists.
“We must, in these weeks that separate us from the vote, give a message of hope to those people who no longer go to vote, to demonstrate that voting makes the difference”, explained the secretary quoting Tina Anselmi: “Doing politics is organizing hope”. In the meantime, however, the ranks of those against are swelling, also extending to Dario Franceschini’s area. The same former minister, to those who approached him to the Nazarene, would have defined “a problem” the logo with the secretary’s name. A long-time Democratic MP, then, recalls Veltroni’s precedent: it is true that the former secretary had put his name in the symbol, but – first of all – it was the Democratic Party’s debut in the elections and a bit of ” advertising”. And – second point – they were political elections and in the dem statute it is foreseen that the secretary is automatically also the prime minister candidate. The person who defends the idea of inserting the name of the Dem leader in the symbol is Francesco Boccia, leader of the Dem group in the Senate. “I think that the name of the secretary in the symbol serves, for these elections, to compare herself with Giorgia Meloni and to guarantee that added value, in the European competition, that everyone recognizes. I have always been in favor of her being a multiple candidate in all the constituencies. Because I think That Elly Schlein is added value for our electorate and I think that the work we are doing is absolutely positive: we are at a crossroads and for this reason we must present ourselves united to this challenge”, is Boccia’s appeal.
In summing up, the secretary puts the lists to the vote and asks the management for a mandate to complete the other steps, including the symbol. The management approves the lists and confers the mandate on the symbol. Which must be presented to the Viminale by Monday 22 April at 4pm. Some applause welcomes the launch of the lists.
Critic Romano Prodi
The one who doesn’t applaud is Romano Prodi who from Naples rejects the secretary’s choice to run: “What’s happening really shows that no one is listening to me. Why do we have to give a vote to a person who, if he wins, certainly won’t go to Brussels These are wounds of democracy.”